Telomere shortening and associated chromosomal instability in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma prior to any treatment are predictive of second cancers.

Purpose: To investigate a potential link between telomere length, chromosomal instability, and the advent of a second cancer (SC) in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), who are known to be at risk for SCs. This study was premised on the finding that telomere dysfunction and DNA repair pathways were related to many pathologic conditions.

Methods And Materials: Three cohorts of patients with HL were studied: 73 who were prospectively followed >5 years after diagnosis (prospective HL cohort), 28 who developed a SC (SC HL cohort), and 18 long-term survivors with no evidence of disease or complication since their initial treatment (NED HL cohort).

Impact of gonadotrophins and steroid hormones on tumour cells derived from borderline ovarian tumours.

Background: Conservative surgery is currently proposed for young patients with borderline ovarian tumours (BOT). For those experiencing infertility, the question of medically assisted procreation is raised. We have evaluated in vitro the proliferation of cultured BOT cells in response to FSH or estradiol (E(2)).

Sensitivity to radiation and alkylating agent of peripheral lymphocytes and fibroblasts in a Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome patient.

Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome (HHS) is a severe infantile variant of X-linked dyskeratosis congenita (DC). The authors report evidence of increased in vitro sensitivity to radiation and alkylating agent in circulating lymphocytes and fibroblasts obtained from a 7-year-old boy with HHS. A major telomere shortening was also found (3 kb) as compared to healthy donors (10 kb).

Baseline and treatment-induced chromosomal abnormalities in peripheral blood lymphocytes of Hodgkin's lymphoma patients.

Purpose: To study chromosomal abnormalities in 49 patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), before and after treatment and at several times during a 2-year period.

Methods And Materials: Simple chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and complex chromosomal rearrangements (CCRs) were counted in peripheral lymphocytes by painting of chromosomes 1, 3, and 4 (fluorescence in situ hybridization). A control population was composed of 20 healthy donors and 69 untreated cancer patients who had undergone various radiologic scans.

Premature chromosome condensation associated with fluorescence in situ hybridisation detects cytogenetic abnormalities after a CT scan: evaluaton of the low-dose effect.

The purpose of this study was to assess the cytogenetic effects of the X ray irradiation used during a CT scan in order to estimate the mean absorbed dose in circulating lymphocytes. Chromosomal aberrations were scored in blood lymphocytes of ten patients undergoing CT scans, by applying fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) to metaphase cells and premature chromosome condensation (PCC) with chromosomes 1, 3 and 4 painting probes immediately after exposure. This generated a dosimetric index that reflects the dose to the circulating lymphocytes.

Radiosensitivity of human normal and tumoral thyroid cells using fluorescence in situ hybridization and clonogenic survival assay.

Purpose: By using cell survival as a reference, we evaluated the radiosensitivity of human normal and tumoral thyroid cells using of radiation-induced translocations.

Methods And Materials: Tissue samples were obtained from patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Cell cultures were established, irradiated with 60Co, and metaphases painted using commercial whole-chromosome 4 hybridization probe and pancentromeric probe.

Biologic dosimetry in thyroid cancer patients after repeated treatments with iodine-131.

Unlabelled: To estimate a cumulative dosimetric index that reflects the dose to the circulating lymphocytes after repeated treatments with 131I, biologic dosimetry was applied to 18 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma and neck relapse or lung metastases.

Methods: Chromosomal aberrations were scored in peripheral blood samples that were obtained before and 4 days after each administration of 3.7 GBq 131I according to two methods, conventional cytogenetics and chromosome 4 painting.

Sequential biological dosimetry after a single treatment with iodine-131 for differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Unlabelled: To determine the cytogenetic and genotoxic risk associated with therapeutic exposure to 131I (3.7 GBq) in 50 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma, we estimated the dosimetric index that reflects the dose to the circulating lymphocytes on Day 4 and at several time intervals after exposure over a period of 2 yr.

Methods: Chromosomal aberrations were scored in peripheral lymphocytes obtained before and then 4 days, 3 mo, 6 mo, 1 yr and 2 yr after the first administration of 3.